This invention relates generally to rotary machines and more particularly, to methods and systems for turning rotary components within wind turbine nacelles.
At least some known wind turbines are generally disassembled into four types of components such as, but not limited to, rotor blades, tower, rotor hubs, and nacelles for transportation. Some wind turbine components such as, but not limited to, the nacelles are substantially unitary precision instruments. As such, the nacelles are generally assembled at the manufacturer and remain intact during subsequent transportation.
Generally, nacelles are stored in cargo containers and/or affixed to transport structures such as, but not limited to, railroad cars, trucks and/or ships for transportation to a storage site and/or an assembly site. Moreover, at least some known nacelles may be transported using more than one different mode of transportation, for example by rail, truck, and/or ship. However, such nacelles may be damaged during transportation. For example, such nacelles may be damaged during land transportation because the nacelles may be subjected to uneven terrain, turning corners, and/or other stress and/or shock/vibration inducing conditions experienced by known land transportation vehicles. As a result, nacelle damage facilitates further damage and degrading operating performance of the damaged nacelles.
Generally, nacelles include several rotary components such as, but not limited to, gears and shafts that rotate during operation. For example, the shafts rotate in bearings and engage with the gears during operation. However, such nacelle components may be damaged during transportation and/or periods in which the nacelles are exposed to shock and vibration forces in a non-operating state. More specifically, at least some nacelle components may experience false brinelling of drivetrain bearings and/or gears as a result of such vibration forces.
At least some known methods and apparatus for assembling and transporting the nacelles attempt to reduce the impact of vibration forces experienced by the nacelles in non-operating states. For example, at least some known nacelles include lube oil pumps that circulate oil through gearboxes of the nacelles to lubricate, for example, bearings and areas between gear teeth of non-operating rotary components. At least some known nacelles also include internal and/or external auxiliary devices such as, but not limited to, energy generating devices that are used to periodically turn rotary nacelle components. Known energy generating devices such as, but not limited to, motors and/or engines are coupled to high-speed shafts that are connected to rotary nacelle components and turn such shafts via pulley systems and/or cardan shaft systems to periodically turn rotary nacelle components. Therefore, in addition to the oil pump, the auxiliary device and systems used to turn the rotary nacelle components increase costs associated with transporting the nacelles. Moreover, the periodic timing for turning the rotary nacelle components may not accurately distribute vibration forces throughout the bearings and/or gears and may increase the occurrence of false brinelling.